Applying to reregister your society

How to apply, and what you’ll need to provide

New legislation for incorporated societies

From 5 October 2023, existing incorporated societies can apply to reregister under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 (the 2022 Act).

There are approximately 24,000 societies that will need to reregister to remain as an incorporated society. We recommend starting soon so you don’t run out of time — it takes some time to prepare what you need.

By the time you’re ready to apply to reregister your society there are several things you need to have already done.

To reregister your society, you must complete an online application but there are no fees to pay. You will need to provide certain information about your society along with a copy of your society’s constitution. We’ll process your application, and we aim to let you know the outcome within 3 working days.

On this page:

The information you’ll need to confirm or provide

When you apply for reregistration, you’ll need to confirm or provide the following information about your society.

Your society’s name

When you apply to reregister you can’t change your society’s name, but we will display the current name that’s recorded on the register.

Under the 2022 Act your society’s name must end with one or more of the following words — ‘Manatōpū’, ‘Incorporated’ or ‘Inc’.  If your society wants to change its name — even if only to replace the word ‘Incorporated’ with one of the other options allowed by the 2022 Act — you will first need to reregister, then apply to change your society’s name.

Confirm you have the minimum number of members

You’ll need to confirm you have the minimum number of members required to reregister your society under the 2022 Act.

Your society must have at least 10 members and your membership can include individuals and body corporates (for example, charitable trust boards, companies, or other incorporated societies). When you’re counting your membership numbers, a body corporate counts as 3 individual members.

Upload a copy of the society's proposed constitution

You’ll need to upload a copy of the constitution your society has prepared. The constitution must comply with the 2022 Act. It must also have been approved by your members at a general meeting.

Your balance date

You’ll need to reconfirm your society’s balance date. We will display the balance date that we have recorded in the register, but you can update this if the balance date has changed. This date should have been decided as part of drafting your society’s constitution.

The ‘balance date’ is the last day of your financial year and it also plays an important role in determining other deadlines for your society. In particular, within 6 months of each balance date your society must —

  • prepare its annual financial statements
  • hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM)
  • present its financial statements at the AGM, and
  • file an annual return with us, along with its annual financial statements.

Your society’s contact details

Registered office address

We will display the current registered office address that we have recorded in the register, but you can update this if needed. Under the 2022 Act you must notify us at least 5 working days before a change of address for the registered office is due to take effect. This means you will need to choose a date at least 5 working days after your reregistration application date.

The registered office address is the official address for your society and will be displayed on the register. It’s where your society’s records, including your register of members, are kept. It’s also an address that anyone can use to contact your society and deliver any legal documents, such as court documents.

It must be a full physical address - you can’t use a Post Office box, Private Bag or DX address as the registered office.

Address for communications – physical or postal

We will display the current address for communications that we have recorded in the register, but you can update this if needed.

We’ll use this address if we need to send letters to your society so it should be an address that’s actively monitored by someone in your society. The address for communications can be either a physical address or a postal address.

Email address for communications

We will display the current email address for communications that we have recorded in the register, but you can update this if needed.

This email address won’t be visible on the public register, but it will be used by us as our main point of contact with your society. We’ll use this email address to send reminders to file your society’s annual financial statements and annual return so choose an address that’s regularly checked by someone in your society and make sure it’s kept up to date.

Phone number

You have the option to provide us with a contact phone number for your society – a landline or a mobile phone number. The number will not be visible on the public register, it will only be used by us as another point of contact.

Details of at least one contact person

Your society must have at least one contact person and no more than 3. To be a contact person they don’t need to be an officer of your society, but it should be someone who can handle enquiries from us, so it’s important to keep their details up to date.

For each contact person you’ll need to provide their name, a physical or postal address, an email address and a telephone number. The contact person’s address details need to be different than the society addresses for communication provided above.

Details of committee members and other officers

You must record the names and contact details for each of your society’s officers and advise which officers are members of your society. You’ll also need to certify that they have —

  • consented in writing to being an officer and
  • certified that they are not disqualified from being an officer.

Your society must have at least 3 people on its committee and each person on the committee is an officer of your society. Other people can also be appointed as officers even if they’re not part of the elected committee. This includes anyone who holds a position which allows them to exercise significant influence over the management or administration of the society. Learn more about committees and officers

Who can see the information you provide

Most of the details you provide about your society in your application for reregistration will be made publicly available on the Incorporated Societies Register. Anyone searching for your society on the register will be able to see these details.

Some specific information will be kept private, such as contact person details and officer addresses. This means it can only be seen by the Registrar or people who have authority to update your society’s information on the register.

How to complete and submit your application

Before you can apply online, you must have:

  • a RealMe login
  • an online services account for the Incorporated Societies Register.
  • authority to manage information on behalf of your society.

Step by step

  1. Log in to your online services account.
  2. On the dashboard, select the society you wish to update from 'My Businesses'.
  3. Open the ‘Maintain Incorporated Society’ menu and choose ‘Reregister Under 2022 Act’.

Complete your application, one section (or tab) at a time.

General details

  • We’ll display the current name of the society.
  • Upload your society’s constitution, as well as any other supporting documents you wish to submit.
  • Confirm your society’s balance date.
  • Complete the signatory details section.
The signatory needs to certify the application

The person who completes the application must be able to certify that, at the time of the application:

  1. The number of members is at least 10 for the purposes of section 8(1) of the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, and
  2. The constitution you have uploaded complies with the requirements of section 26 of the Act.

Addresses

We’ll display the addresses and phone numbers that are recorded on the register for your society.

You’ll need to provide the details of each contact person. You’ll also need to check, and if necessary, update the society’s:

  • registered office address
  • address for communication
  • phone numbers.
Updating your registered office address

Under the 2022 Act you must notify us at least 5 working days before a change of address for the registered office is due to take effect. You will need to choose a start date that’s at least 5 working days after your reregistration application date.

Officers

Under the 2022 Act each officer’s details must be recorded on the register. Every society must have at least 3 officers and most of the officers must also be members.

We’ll display any officer details currently recorded on the register. You’ll need to check these details, and if necessary, update them.

  • Add any officers that aren’t already listed – their name, physical address, email address and start date.
    • Confirm whether they are a member.
    • You can also choose to include an officer’s role if they have one. For example, chairperson.
  • Cease any officers who are no longer acting.
  • If necessary, edit the details of any officers who will continue to act after reregistration.

Review

Check that the information you’ve provided in the application is correct.

Submit

Submit your completed application (it’s free to apply).

Apply to reregister a society under 2022 Act

What happens next

We will process your application

We aim to process your application within 3 working days from the date you submitted it to us. If it’s in order, we will update the Incorporated Societies Register to reflect that your society has reregistered under the 2022 Act and issue an updated Certificate of Incorporation.

If we have any questions about your application, we’ll get in touch with the person who completed the application and let you know what we need.

You'll receive an updated Certificate of Incorporation

We’ll email an updated Certificate of Incorporation to the person who completed the application and to your society’s email address for communication.

Operating after reregistration

Once your society is reregistered, your society must comply with the 2022 Act. The constitution you uploaded when you applied for reregistration governs the way your society will operate. Your society’s new constitution takes effect on the day we accept your society’s reregistration application.

Your society will need to keep certain details up to date on the register, so be sure to check what’s needed any time you need to change things such as your society’s addresses, officers’ details, contact person’s details or your society’s constitution. Your committee will also need to file your society’s financial statements and annual return every year to remain on the register. We have guides in the Help Centre on our website to help you meet all your ongoing obligations to the Registrar.

All help topics

Getting started on the register 7 guides

Searching the Incorporated Societies Register 2 guides

Find out how to search our registers for information about incorporated societies, and other entities

Starting an incorporated society 5 guides

To incorporate a society in New Zealand you must submit an application, along with the required documents, and pay a registration fee.

Reregistering under the 2022 Act 4 guides

To remain on the register, existing societies will need to reregister under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 before April 2026

Running your incorporated society 7 guides

Once you’ve registered, you’ll need to keep your details on the register up to date, and follow the rules that apply to incorporated societies and how they are run.

Meeting your annual filing requirements 3 guides

Once you've registered your incorporated society, you'll need to file annual financial statements. Societies registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 must also complete an annual return.

Ending an incorporated society 2 guides

When an incorporated society reaches the end of its 'life', it must be wound up and removed from the register. Here we outline the ways this can be done – by dissolving the society (1908 Act), removing the society from the register (2022 Act) or placing it in liquidation.

Restoring an incorporated society to the register 2 guides

An application can be made to us to have an incorporated society restored to the register, by the society itself, or by a creditor. You'll need to provide evidence to support your application.

Forms and fees 3 guides

The forms you might need to update a society's details, along with the fees that apply and ways you can pay.

Managing your online account 7 guides